Treatment of hides.



"placed in a itwith a solution of quick lime and water or-a similar period, and by this process it is reduced to a gelatinous condic 'To all whom it may concern:

' UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

RICHARD W ITHEY, OF SOUTH BERMONDSEY, ENGLAND.

TREATMENT or HIDES. I

Original application filed. April 16, 1906, Serial No. 311,954. Dividedand this application filed May Serial No. 375,903.

Be it known that I, RICHARD WITEEY; a subject of the King of Great Britain, re-

siding at 103 Verney'road, South Bermond-' sey, in the county of Surrey, England, cycle 'maker and electrical engineer; have invented certain new and useful 1m rovements in the Treatment of Hides; of W 'ch the following ,is a specification-tha't is to say The invention relates to improvements in the treatment of hides.

The object of this invention is to produce a leather which will be exceedingly tou h and Y flexible yet inexpensive to roduce W 'le at 15' the same time it will be a aptedto many purposes to which ordinaryjleather is inaplicable and more particularly as an armor or. pneumatic tires. For this purpose any suitable hide such as ox hide or cow hide' -'is employed and submitted to thefollowing treatment: The raw hide as taken from the i animal is soaked in clean water for a e'riod of three to seven days, then blubbere that is: to say; loose ieces of flesh and grease are removed from-t e flesh side. after. which it is tion; it is then taken out and-unhaired and a period of our to ten days'after which it is a condition to be chemically treated.

The alum and eg albumen mixture is composed of'5 6 lbs. of alum, 4 lbs. of egg albumen and,'15 0 gallons of water and the hides are soaked in this for about four days or longer as circumstances may require. It is then successively placed in each of a series of-chemidal soaks or baths 9f graduated strengths commencing with the weakest, each soali consisting of a combinationof sulfuric acid, red arsenic, and sumac liquor in suitable proportions and this soaking is continued for a period of about two days during which period the hide is changed from one soak to another of the next higher gradation as re ards strength every twelve hours after whic the hide is placed in a soak or bath consisting of a solution of rubber, petroleum benzin,jand naphtha for a period ofabout two days; it is, then taken out,

strained on stretchers or frames and air dried after which the leather is ready for use. The best way to deal with this part of the Specification of Letters Patent.

' lowing proportions may Patented July 21,- 1908.

process is to soak the hide in the benzin and naphtha and afterwards to work or knead into it a solution of rubber.

The hide thus treated retains all its natural fibrous and other qualities, has nearly the same flexibility as rubber, is entirely free from grease so that itwill readily receive rubber solution and is practically impene' 'trable with ordinary usage.

1 In treating say twenti five hidesv the folv e employed for the principal baths or soaks: 1

The Sumac Socks.

"150 gallons of water. pint sulfuricacid, (specificgravity No. 1 1.840.)

. 3 lbs. of red arsenic. 1 cwt. of sumac.

150 gallons of water- Y 3 quarts of sulfuric acid, (specific No. 21 gravity 1.84.0.)

4 lbs. of red arsenic. t 1% cwt. of sumac.

150 gallons of water.

1% cwt. of sumac.-

- The Benz in soar] 12 gallons'of petroleum benzin. 6 gallons of coal tar naphtha. 56 lbs. of rubber solution of commerce con.-

.sisting ofpara rubber 1 lb. coal tar vna htha allon; benzol 1 pint and car on his d pint,

or the rubber may be vomitted and the hides separately treated therewith as hereinbefore pointed out.

By the'means hereinbefore described hides gravity 1.840.) 5 lbs. of red arsenic. Y

6 quarts of sulfuric acid, (specific are toughened and rendered flexible and a leather obtained which is practically impenetrableand suitable for man uses to which ordinary leather cannot use ully be put and which can be produced at a trifling increase in cost as compared with "existing productions. r Y 9 I have 'hereinbefore described the best means that I am at present acquainted with forcarrying my invention into efiect but I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details set 'forth either as regards quantities and periods or materials as in practice the former may be somewhat varied and chemical equivalents found for the latter and the following claim must therefore be understood as including such variations. i

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is A process for the treatment of hides consisting in soaking the raw hide taken from the animal in'water for a suitable period, about four to seven days for example; then blubbering it, that is removing loose pieces of flesh and grease from the flesh side, then submitting it to the action of lime and Water for a similar period; then unhairin it; then steeping it in a mixture of alum an albumen for a sultable period, four to ten days for example; then placing it successively in a series of chemical soaks or baths of graduated strengths each soak consisting of a compoun of sulfuric acid red arsenic and sumac li uor for a suitable period, two days for examp e, and changing said soaks at suitable intervals, every twelve hours for exam le; then placing the hide in or treating it Wit a soakor bath of a solution of rubber,

troleum benzin and naphtha for a suita le period, abouttwo daystor example; or subse uently treating it with rubber solution anal finally straining and air drying the hide substantially asherein shown and described and for the purpose stated.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two Witnesses.

' RICHARD WITHEY. Witnesses:

C. H. WHITE, F. L. RAND. 

